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And then this happened...

Yesterday morning we headed to the clinic for my first blood test and ultrasound. I was feeling pretty rat-shit since waking up - it was the first time I've experienced nausea from the medication. I headed in for the blood test first (which I always have to do lying down because I have nearly passed out during a blood test in the past). In and out in 5 minutes, then we were quickly sent into another room for the ultrasound. I tell ya, our clinic seems to run like a well-oiled machine. At least 5 other women were there with 8am appointments and we were all processed through, first in first served.

While I was sent off to empty my bladder, Chop was ushered into the scan room to sit next to the bed. I came in and was told to remove my lower half of clothing, and put one of those ugly hospital gowns on before hopping up onto the bed. This was one of those internal scans, and that gel is pretty unforgiving on a cold winters morning! She asked me if I'd had a scan recently, and I told her that my I had some last year during my miscarriage in May, and also when I had a cyst removed from my left ovary in June last year. She asked if I still had my ovary, and we explained that the Doctor had told us that my ovary had been left in tact and had not been damaged in the surgery.So she first checked my right ovary while we were able to view it on a TV up on the wall. With the feeling of someone poking around inside me, and seeing my insides up on the screen, I quickly realised that the ceiling might be a better option for me to look at. Have I mentioned before how I get a bit freaked out by medical stuff? Chop was happy to watch the screen though, and the lady explained that the follicles were still not quite big enough and I'd probably have to have another scan in a couple of days. She measured the follicles, and took images of them.She then moved over to my left ovary and wriggled that wand around, causing me to squirm a bit. I peaked at the screen and couldn't see the same dots that I could see when we were viewing the right ovary. She made a 'Hmmm' noise, and I blurted out "have you found another cyst?", but she said no. She explained that my left ovary wasn't responding to the stims as well, and the right ovary seems to be doing all the work. She could see only one very small follicle on my left ovary. I was not surprised by this news. It made sense to me that there was something wrong with my ovaries, as my cycles have been so strange and lengthy for the last 12 months. I didn't let the news bother me though, because I knew that there was still hope with my right ovary, which she said was more than making up for the left. People can still have a baby with only one ovary, so there was no need to panic. The news was a little more strange for Chop, who thought it meant that my left ovary had been irreparably damaged in the surgery last year. The lady told him that the human body can change a lot and that because it may be not working as strongly as it should right now, it doesn't mean that it's never going to.We went back to the clinic nurse who explained that I'll need to come back on Monday for another scan, and she gave me some more Orgalutran needles to get me through the weekend (ovulation suppressant); I still had plenty of the Gonal F shots. She said that my nurse will call me in the afternoon with the results from these tests and to organise my next scan and blood test.

The nurse called at about 2pm, as I was driving between my two offices, so I had to chat to her on speaker-phone (no blue-tooth in my car). She told me that I had 21 follicles on my right ovary, and only a small one on my left. She reiterated what we've already discussed before, that the numbers are just numbers and that they don't expect all of them to be fully mature. But she said 21 is good at this stage, and particularly since my right ovary is the only one doing all the work (I've now named my right ovary "Popeye" as it must have eaten all the spinach and is flexing those muscles). She booked me in for another ultrasound/ blood test on Monday morning and said it looks likely that I'll be having my Egg Retrieval on Wednesday 4th July. She reminded me to tell Chop that he has to "abstain" for 3-5 days before the Retrieval. I had a little giggle at the word "abstain"... it is such a civilised word. I told the nurse that I'd been feeling pretty good throughout the medications so far, except that day was the first time I'd felt nauseous, and the nausea came and went throughout the day. She asked if I was bloated and feeling any swelling (yes), and she said that I'd probably have felt more pains in my right side than my left (now that she mentioned it, yes that's right).

30th June 2012CD9: A side-on photo of my puff-belly(this is how bloated the drugs have made me so far)

I'm counting down the needles and there's only 5 or 6 left for this cycle. Last night we had to do one of my shots in the car in a public car park. We probably looked like junkies, but I don't think anyone saw us. The poor light and awkward positioning made it a difficult shot for Chop to give me, and today I've got a nice bruise to show for it. Ah well.

Today, the nausea continues. It's been pretty cold here, so after a nice brunch with Hubby we locked ourselves inside to have an afternoon of watching movies on the couch under a blanket. Here's a pic I just took of the passing hail storm that we just had. So glad we're inside with the heater!

So onwards we go, with 21 follicles on my over-achieving right ovary. I'm hoping for at least a few eggs out of that 21.... Is that realistic? Anyone? Anyone?Full Summary of this IVF/ICSI cycle can be found on the above Tab: IVF#1

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Yes, a few eggs out of 21 is totally realistic! Things will look different at your first scan from your final scan. When do you go in again?

Btw...my left ovary was always an over achiever, and it didn't matter, except that you might feel lopsided after a while. I don't know exactly how many there were on each side because they only measured follicles greater than 12mm.

Most people don't have 21 follicles counting both sides. That is an awesome number Ali, wow! Have you asked your clinic about prescribing you some phenegran? My stims make me sick also so I took the phenegran and it helped alot.

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